Spending his days drunk and his nights high, priding himself on his perfection of the one night stand, Jackson Jones has hit rock bottom. He is caught in a vicious cycle, spiraling downwards, at war with a formidable opponent: himself.

Life for Jackson wasn’t always like this. At eighteen, he thought he had it all: a beautiful girlfriend who he loved, good friends, and even better grades that would help him get into any college he chose. But one event changed everything, and now his bright future has all but disappeared completely.

With some help from an old friend and a sexy, mysterious woman, will Jackson be able to find the closure he needs to move on from his past and reclaim his future? Can he shut his demons out, for good? Or will he remain stuck in a cycle of Infinite Fear?

I read this novella understanding it’s the prequel to Scared of Beautiful. We’re along for the downhill ride of Jackson’s past. And not an exhilarating downhill ride, it’s more of a painful and grieving ride. Jackson is living a life to numb and forget, which he succeeds at in unhealthy ways. I’m glad that Jacqueline brought hope and goals to Jackson’s life instead of keeping him stuck in an environment filled with painful memories. I recognize Jade as a faithful friend, but at times the dialogue between Jade and Jackson was choppy and uncomfortable. I don’t know if this is purposeful as they had a brief “falling out” for in their friendship or if it was just an awkwardness to their dialogue. We got a good character build-up of Jackson within this novella and I’m rooting for him and his college endeavors. I’m also hopeful that we’ll see some closure or get more of Shana in Scared of Beautiful in terms of her departure. Give this a try and find your next book crush! Rating: 3 stars